Sri Lanka Cricketers To Be Treated As ‘State Guests’ As Pakistan Tighten Security Amid Concerns: Report

The Pakistan government has assured that the Sri Lanka cricket team players, who are currently in Pakistan for the ODI series, are being treated as "state guests".

The Pakistan government has assured that the Sri Lanka cricket team players, who are currently in Pakistan for the ODI series, are being treated as “state guests”. Several Sri Lanka cricketers wanted to return home due to security concerns after a deadly suicide attack in Islamabad. However, the series will go ahead with a new schedule, and according to reports, security has been increased for the visiting team. The security of the cricketers as well as the team’s staff members was discussed at a meeting between the Sri Lankan High Commissioner, Admiral (retired) Fred Seneviratne, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Naqvi and other Pakistan government officials in Islamabad. According to PTI, Naqvi also met officials of the Sri Lanka cricket team and assured them of ‘foolproof security’.

“Security has been beefed up with Pakistan Army and the paramilitary rangers now deputed to monitor the visiting players and officials,” the source told PTI.

During Wednesday’s meeting, the security situation was discussed in the presence of top police officials of Islamabad.

Naqvi assured Siriwiratnay that the visiting team players and officials were state guests in Pakistan. The High Commissioner, after the briefing, expressed satisfaction with the security arrangements.

Pakistan has blamed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) for the terror attacks.

On Tuesday, a suicide bomber detonated himself outside a judicial complex in Islamabad killing 12 people and injuring scores, while in Northern Pakistan’s Wana area a terror attack on the Wana Cadet College was foiled by security forces and around 300 students were safely evacuated.

Federal Minister for Information, Ata Tarar said if security forces had not acted swiftly, Pakistan could have witnessed a bigger incident like the Peshawar school attack in 2018.

Three years back the New Zealand team cancelled a white-ball series in Rawalpindi and returned home without playing a match after receiving creditable intelligence information about a possible terror attack targeting the visitors.

“That is why Mohsin Naqvi personally went to the stadium and met with the visiting team members and assured them they would be safe and secure,” the source said.

Source: https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/sri-lanka-cricketers-to-be-treated-as-state-guests-as-pakistan-tighten-security-amid-concerns-report-9625765